Prince dreams of independence in Italian village

By Svetlana Kovalyova

SEBORGA, Italy (Reuters) – Tourists ran after Giorgio
Carbone as he crossed a square in the village of Seborga in
northern Italy. They all wanted pictures of the nondescript man
with the graying beard, tired-looking eyes and simple suit.

That’s because Carbone is, in fact, Prince Giorgio I of
Seborga, a former flower seller dedicated to promoting this
medieval village’s claim of independence.

At first sight, Seborga is a typical picture postcard
village on the Italian Riviera with minute squares and narrow
streets meandering beneath an imposing bell tower.

But a sign proclaiming “Welcome to the Principality of
Seborga” and blue-and-white striped flags fluttering from its
buildings set it apart from the other villages dotting the
coastline between Genoa and the French border.

“We are the oldest principality in the world,” said
Carbone, who peppers his speech with swear words, making
tourists blush and earning him the nickname “Sua Tremendita” or
“Your Tremendousness” among the villagers.

Seborgans believe their independent history dates back to
954 when the counts of nearby Ventimiglia gave the land to
Benedictine monks who established a sovereign Cistercian state.

When the monks sold Seborga to the King of Savoy and
Sardinia in 1729 the deal was not registered, local historians
say. Since then, Seborga has been missing from historical
records, including the acts of the unification of Italy in 1861
and the formation of the Italian Republic in 1946.

Carbone’s years of research into Seborga’s past finally
convinced the villagers to elect a prince in 1963. Despite his
lack of royal blood and gruff ways, Carbone’s dedication to the
cause made him a natural choice.

NO REVOLUTION

Seborga’s go-it-alone aspirations find an echo in a string
of tiny principalities across Europe. Just along the coast from
the Italian village is the city-state of Monaco, ruled by the
Grimaldi dynasty for more than seven centuries.

There is also Andorra, tucked away on the border between
France and Spain, and the Alpine state of Liechtenstein.

Carbone believes his village is as independent as flashier,
more famous Monaco.

“We have always been independent. We don’t need to be
recognized by any other state. They have to be recognized by
Seborga,” he said, sipping local wine at a bar.

The 69-year-old said Italy had never spoken out against
Seborga’s claim of independence. He also believes the Vatican
tacitly supports the village despite an official silence.

“We want to run our own home. We don’t want to be part of
European political or monetary union. We want to be a happy
quiet island in Europe, which is engulfed in globalization that
can only trigger revolutions,” he roared in his hoarse voice.

Giorgio I himself is planning no revolution.

His mission is to create a state free of crime, corruption
and other vices, not to stop Seborga’s 300 inhabitants from
paying Italian taxes or voting for the national parliament.

Nonetheless, Seborga now has its own constitution,
government, parliament and court.

It mints own coin — a Luigino, which is fixed at $6.00 and
which circulates within the principality alongside the euro.
Seborga issues passports and car number plates, also valid only
within its limits.

“BORN LIKE A GAME”

Mayor Franco Fogliarini said the influx of curious visitors
to Seborga had increased over the last 10 years as news of its
independence claim spread.

“The whole story was born like a game,” said Fogliarini,
recalling that as a boy he and his friends used to dress up in
medieval costumes, set up a roadblock on the way to the village
and issue special passes for tourists.

Now the mayor hopes that Seborga’s story of independence
will attract tourists, boost its budget and create jobs.

Fogliarini also toyed with the idea of fiscal autonomy, but
the prospect of full independence did not inspire him.

“Who would manage it? And how? It’s a difficult and
impractical thing,” he said.

International law experts say Seborga’s claim to be an
independent state is not valid because it does not exercise
state authority on its territory in the region of Liguria.

Local historian Marco Cassini doubted that Seborgans wanted
true independence anyway.

“Like people from all small towns in Liguria, Seborgans
have a strong local pride and an independent spirit,” Cassini
said. “They have a unique history and they have just been smart
enough to take advantage of it and attract tourists.”